Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-02-19
CORRESPONDENCE
LAST DAYS OF BLlEN AVON.
To the MINING JOURNAL.


For the last thirteen years the COM
pany bearing the above name have
| been employing from rs to $50 men,
mostly citizens of Frostburg. At the
present writing about rs men and
boys are employed. These are COM
PEELED to work "double-shift" in order
so find places for all, and even then
they are compelled to work from four
to eight in a place.
1t is something remarkable that the
management of this mine have neyel
resorted to that bad custom practiced
by other companies on Georges Creek
that is, to draw men out or discharge
them when they happen to have more
in their employment than they could
find full work for. But here all have
been always welcome to stay and take
a share of what work they had unless
they could find some opportunity to
better themselves.
Nor have they ever resorted to that
pernicious custom that is practiced of
late years with companies in this re-
gion-"b "blacklisting" them for some
trifiing or imaginary wrong. The
tale bearer found but poor encourage
ment or sympathy with Archibald
Stewart. If he was good, practical,
industrious miner, of whatever tongue
or country, those were all the quail
fications he required, and there are
| few better judges OF those qua,itica-
tions than he, being a practical miner
i'll the very fullest sense of the word.
He has been employed in mining from
his boyhood in different capacities on
Georges Creek and other bituminous
coal fields, and in California gold
digging. From long and constant
practice of his profession and study of
the best authors extant on mining he
has accumulated an amount of prac-
tical knowledge seldom equaled. By
his keen insight into human nature,
and impartial, just treatment of his
men, he has been able to secure and re
tain in his employ the very best miners
in the region. He took charge of the
Blen Avon mine about twelve years
ago, at time when by the manage
ment of those in charge before him
and the encroachment Of companies
working adjoining coal, the mine had
run afoul of old workings that ran the
entire length of the property. These
abandonded workings were full of
black damp and other noxious gases
which were constantly escaping into
the Blen Avon mine. In order to
avoid the danger thus accruing the
course of the main heading was
changed so abruptly against the grade
and on to the other course, so weaken
ing the mine and giving grade so
steep to cause great trouble and dan
ger in getting coal out. The mine was
in g critical condition when Mr..
Stewart took charge of it, but the
company, having full confidence in
him, knowing his varied experience in
mining as we'll as his coolness and
courage, they gave him absolute con
troll of the management. By his skill
full management and constant personal
supervision he very soon brought
order out of chaos and carried the
mine successfully to its uttermost
boundary. Then, retreating like a
victorious general with the spoils of
his victory, he brought his pillars
back clean and with perfect system.
Often in the dead hour of night
when all was still he would traverse
alone the most dangerous parts of the
mine, listening and watching so as to
detect the first sign of approaching
danger. His duties required the most
vigilant attention both night and day,
and he has succeeded beyond the most
sanguine expectations in getting his
pillars out. He has taken out thous-
ands upon thousands of tons that were